West African Leadership

Abstract

“A man known in the councils of nation, cool, and quite English, imperturbable, though apt to act with fire upon occasion."-BYRON. By men of understanding and knowledge the state (Nation) thereof shall be prolonged."- Proverbs: Chap 28. 2. IT has been a matter of serious regret, that men whose names are written in gold in the pages of the history of West Africa, have not left behind them specimens of the discourses by which their hearers were delighted and edified. Thus when our great men had fulfilled their day of public service, except perhaps men like John Mensah Sarbah, Casely Hayford, Edward Blyden, S.R.B. Attoh Ahuma and E. J. P. Brown, who have left us a fine legacy of literary - works, nothing remained to benefit their country, but the remembrance of their names and virtues. But even then where are the speeches which these aforementioned statesmen delivered during their public career on major questions of policy? Are they not buried with them? British West Africans have all along stood in need of works of this kind whereby the wisdom and methods of their eminent men could be passed on to succeeding generations. Five motives, therefore, combined to impel me to atteIl1pt the compilation of this collection of Mr. Casely Hayford's Public Speeches as follows :- (I) That it may serve as a pioneer work and an incentive to the future political student of British West Africa to undertake works of similar nature. (2) That the ornate splendour of the speeches, their homely style and their massive thought may act as an inspiration to the rising generation, and a guide to the practical statesman.